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Pakistan churches start movement to demand justice for Christians

Monday, 5th March 2018

Catholic and Protestant churches in Pakistan have started a movement to demand justice for Christian cousins accused of blasphemy, reported ucanews.com.

Sajid Masih, 26, jumped from the fourth floor of the Punjab headquarters of the Federal Investigation Agency in a suicide attempt on 23rd February. He fractured both legs.

Sajid was arrested with his cousin, Patras Masih, 18, for allegedly posting an insulting photo of the burial place of the prophet Muhammad on a Facebook account.

More than 200 Christians gathered on 2nd March in front of the Punjab Assembly in Lahore. Teams from Caritas Pakistan, the Catholic Church’s charitable agency, and the Catholic Commission for Justice and Peace attended the protest.

“Justice for Sajid, Justice for Patras,” cried Pastor Riaz Malik as he pointed his finger at a photograph of Sajid.

Sajid claims he was being punished for an act allegedly committed by his cousin and that security authorities had ordered the two men to engage in a homosexual act as they attempted to force confessions from them both. Critics say police duress in such cases is common in Pakistan.

Picture: Christians are seen during a church in Karachi, Pakistan, on 25th December 2017. (CNS photo/Shahzaib Akber, EPA).